AP: Beijing rounds 6, 7 preview

East Meets West for Crucial Mid-Season Double Header
As word of the spectacular Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia spreads far
and wide, the series continues to attract top drivers from right across
the globe. As the teams and drivers prepare...

East Meets West for Crucial Mid-Season Double Header

As word of the spectacular Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia spreads far
and wide, the series continues to attract top drivers from right across
the globe. As the teams and drivers prepare to enter a crucial stage in
the 2005 season -- with two double-headers in Beijing and then South
Korea -- the stakes will be high as the field takes to the 2.4km
Goldenport Circuit in China's capital city on July 16 and 17 for Rounds
6 and 7.

Making his Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia debut during the weekend
will be Briton Simon Harrison. Harrison began his motorsport career in
1989 racing Formula First, before moving to Formula Ford the following
year. In 1990, he was a McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award
nominee. He moved to saloon and touring car racing in 1994, and has
notched up a distinguished career in the categories, including campaigns
in the British and European Touring Car Championships. No stranger to
Asia, Harrison has contested the Macau Grand Prix Guia Race no fewer than
five times, finishing on the podium in 2000.

Fellow Briton and talented Formula 3 pilot Danny Watts returns to the
Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia for the Beijing rounds, having competed
in the first three rounds of the season in Malaysia. With backing from
Noble Group, 25-year-old Watts is keen to make his name in Asia while at
the same time working on his British single-seater career. Like his
series-registered countryman and reigning British GT Champion Jonathan
Cocker, who at 18 is the youngest competitor in the field and currently
4th in the championship leaderboard, Watts is eager to be part of the
phenomenal growth of professional motorsport in the Asia.

However, proof of just how high the standard of racing in the region has
become, it is an Asian driver who currently stands head and shoulders at
the top of the leaderboard. Thailand's Charoensukhawatana Nattavude, a
former motorcycle, single-seater and touring car champion, has an
impressive 21 point lead over second-placed driver, fellow Thai and
protege, Vutthikorn Inthraphuvasak.

Although Nattavude has a comfortable cushion at the top, he is well aware
of the increasingly high stakes and that there are six more championship
rounds to go. The next five drivers in the championship standings are
separated by just 16 points, with Vutthikorn, reigning champion A-Ha
Racing's Matthew Marsh, Cocker, Team Jebsen's Darryl O'Young and
Malaysian ace Rizal Ramli of Jaseri Racing, all snapping at his heels.

Team Eurokars Nigel Albon was definitely back on form in Thailand last
month, taking a podium finish and putting two disappointing DNFs early on
in the season firmly behind him. Sri Lankan Dilantha Malagamuwa, who
has also previously raced motorcycles and single-seaters, has been
putting in consistently solid performances.

If it looks crowded at the "sharp" end of the field, it is just as
competitive in Class B, with Vutthikorn's Team Thailand partner, Sontaya
Kunplome, and Hong Kong newcomer Alain Li, now jointly topping the
championship standings. Just two points adrift is William "Chip"
Connor, who suffered the setback of a DNF in the opening round, as did
Philip Ma in Round 2, who is now in 4th.

As more European drivers are lured to Asia by the series, the global
nature of Porsche's motorsport activity means it has become a two-way
street, with no fewer than five of the Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia
series-registered drivers eyeing entries in the famous Le Mans 24 Hours
in 2006. In preparation for this, Marsh and O'Young in the GruppeM
Porsche GT3R, and Nattavude, Vutthikorn and Kunplome flying the flag for
Thailand in a Porsche GT3 RS, will compete in the Le Man Endurance Series
round at Italy's Monza circuit the weekend prior to the Beijing race.

Supporting the Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia are two of the most
recognised names in international motorsport, Mobil1 and Michelin. Mobil
and Porsche have been partners since 1996. Close co-operation in research
and development has led to every new Porsche engine being filled with
Mobil1 high-performance lubricant. Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia
drivers also have the advantage of racing on cutting-edge tyres supplied
by series partner Michelin. The consistent performance and leading
technology of Michelin tyres constantly improve the performance of many
teams in international motorsport. The partnership between Michelin and
the Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia has emerged from a worldwide
agreement signed between Porsche AG and the Michelin group.

The Porsche Infineon Carrera Cup Asia runs as part of the Asian Festival
of Speed, organised by Malaysian-based Motorsport Asia Limited.

About Infineon
Infineon Technologies AG, Munich, Germany, offers semiconductor and
system solutions for automotive, industrial and multimarket sectors, for
applications in communication, as well as memory products. With a global
presence, Infineon operates through its subsidiaries in the US from San
Jose, CA, in the Asia-Pacific region from Singapore and in Japan from
Tokyo. In fiscal year 2004 (ending September), the company achieved sales
of Euro 7.19 billion with about 35,600 employees worldwide. Infineon is
listed on the DAX index of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and on the New
York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: IFX). Further information is
available at www.infineon.com.